I have downloaded Roon Labs on my PC Windows - that seems simple. The Roon software picked up my Roskan device but not the NDX2.
How do you make a connection between Roon and NDX2?
Thanks in advance
Is your Roon core and NDX2 on the same subnet of your network. What is your network setup exactly? Also ensure that Roon.exe and RAATServer.exe are exceptions in the Windows firewall.
Sorted. I spoke with Naim. Apparently, the computer needs to recognise the NDX2. By resetting the subnet: https://naim-discourse-files.s3.dualstack.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/original/3X/f/7/f7880722f155c41f18be0e0f2e6b0c46edf5517d.png
And thanks for the response re network needs to be the sameâŚ
@gcread01 This is an answer to a question I was looking into, thank you. Will Roon sent a DSD stream to the NDX2 over ethernet?
Roon converts DSD to a PCM stream which it can send to an âEndpointâ such as an NDX2 over Ethernet
A DSD stream sounds better IMHO than PCM, thank you for your answer. I have a DSD256 USB DAC, and was looking at possibly getting an NDX2.
The USB DAC suffers from a noisy power supply since it is powered via my Roon NUC, so a NDX2 would be a massive upgrade, although native DSD streams are superb, even DSD over PCM (DoP) is an improvement over normal PCM.
There are different ways to implement DSD in a DAC, and Naimâs preferred method is to convert it to PCM in the SHARC processor that precedes the DAC in their streamers rather than leaving the DAC chip itself to process DSD.
Using Roon further reduces the workload of the DAC by converting DSD to PCM before it gets anywhere near the streamer.
Other designers will use different implementations of course, I donât think there is a right or wrong way, just methods that suit the capabilities of various designs.
I am aware that Naim DOWN sample DSD to use one of their employees said elsewhere to 705Khz 40bit PCM, but that doesnât answer my question, if DSD can be send using Ethernet. The NDX2 will play DSD128 (double rate), but how do I transport it from my Roon NUC to the NDX2? I have read elsewhere I need a bridge,
Roon will have no problem playing DSD to any Roon Endpoint. As I said, it will convert it to PCM, so whether or not it can can send DSD over Ethernet is something of a moot point.
Alternatively enable UPnP server on the same Roon Core and point it at the same directory that Roon uses, thus bypassing any Roon RAAT in the middle.
Iâd add here it all becomes something of a bits and bytes arguement, your ears probably can likely distinquish little difference between a well encoded FLAC or WAV file vs some insanely high sample frequency DSD file. DSD 128 providing you an equivalent of 24/176.2kHz, which depending on recording, post production and mastering gets you to roughly the same place from a listening perspective.
DSD isnât a mainstream listening format either the recordings are far fewer to begin with and the playback equipment supports it in a variety of ways.
You could also look at a middle ground, using your DAC of preference connected to the digital output of an ND source, using it as a digital transport and allowing your DAC to be in charge of processing the DSD.
I did similar when I had an ND5 XS2 outputting to a Chord Hugo 2 as one example amongst many. Your existing DAC even with a dedicated USB 5v PSU + digital Input (if it even has one) could be a first step.
This is my current DSD Roon playback arrangement, no PCM conversation anywhere along the whole stage, this is what I would want with a NDX2, although I appreciate that my source would have to be downsampled from quad rate DSD to double rate DSD.
Google âwhy does dsd sound better than pcmâ A result will come up from Steve Hoffman, an interesting read.
I listen to music with my ears not an oscilloscope.
If I convert the track to PCM, even at 176.4Khz the soundstage is altered, and sounds more clinical. True DSD is more like analogue, because of the extremely high sample rates
- DSD 64 :DSD 2.8MHz = 2 822 400 Hz = 44100 Hz x 64 times;
- DSD 128 *DSD 5.6MHz = 5 644 800 Hz = 44100 Hz x 128 times;
- DSD 256:DSD 11.2 MHz = 11 289 600 Hz = 44100 Hz x 256 times;
Still my question has not being answered, how do I play a DSD track from my Roon NUC on an NDX2?
Naim use PCM only DACs so all DSD is converted to PCM before the DAC.
You can send DSD from Roon to your NDX2 by using the DoP option.
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DoP is not true DSD, it isnât too far from it though, will it work over the Ethernet connection? I think I need a bridge to enable me to listen to true DSD on the NDX2
Use 2 DACâs?
Use as I said above, a digital out from an ND transport?
Use UPnP for library and playback?
Itâs feeling a bit like a âI want to drive my car on a lakeâ threadâŚ
DoP is still 100% DSD. You just need to set your NDX2 to DoP in the Roon output device section.
Once you have done this you can stream DSD from Roon. I convert DSD to PCM through Roon instead of letting the nDAC do the conversion.
I am taking my existing DAC when I audition, knowing my luck it will as good as the NDX2, although I hope not. I would enjoy more PRaT as they say
No it doesnt. Roon will send native DSD to the Nain and it will decode to PCM. I have sent DSD native to it many many times. Roon only converts to PCM for DACS or streamers that dont report as supporting it. Naim devices do and there for it sends it as DSD.
I dont have any DSD files but as an example upsampling to DSD128 shows it sends it native DSD to the Naim. We know the Naim will then convert it but its native from Roon to it.
Via the network but as been said Naim will still convert it to PCM as theire audio pipeline is to oversample everthing to the dac and this is done in PCM not sure the DACs used support Native DSD decoding.